Mothers Going Back to Work

Do you have children? If yes, you have faced the ultimate question, what do I do with my child if I want (or need) to go back to work? As a woman, in America, we face this horrible question prior to even conceiving a child. Maybe before we actually give birth we think, hey, I can just get a nanny or put my child in daycare. No big deal. But then reality hits. The baby is born. Your precious angel. Your one and only star. Your miracle. Now what?

For some, they don’t have a problem letting go and getting right back into the working world. For others, it’s a bit more difficult to let go. Then there are those who have no choice but to go back regardless of what they want. In America, we are lucky enough to have multiple daycare options for our little ones, but the truth is, our health care system and society are really not built to support a family.

For one thing, it would be nice if we were allowed to have more than 6 to 8 weeks of disability leave to actually be with our newborn without having to then go on unpaid leave. And for some, you might even be thinking, “What disability leave?” Some women don’t even have the luxury of taking off without being fired. Most employers don’t offer paid leave for their employees. Then what? Have a baby, boy oh boy you better be ready for the consequences. In some countries, like Sweden, women are given a whole year off of work with the promise of a job to come back to, could you imagine that America?

As for daycare options, you’d better hope you have a job that can help you pay for the care your child needs and then some. And what about those options? Some are lucky enough to have family nearby to assist. For those who don’t have that option, they are reliant upon the local daycares and nannies in the neighborhood.

And then there’s the obstacle of availability. You may have found the best daycare in the world but you could end up being 20th on the waiting list. When did these other women put their kids on the waiting list? Two years before conception? So you talk to other parents and ask them about where they send their kids. You get recommendations and you proceed. And it is a vicious cycle because there you are again being told that there may not be availability when you need it most.

And if you are lucky, you find a daycare that you feel confident about-a place where your child will be safe, learn, and enjoy making new friends. But, how do you really know your child is getting the best care available? You don’t. You just have to trust in these people you don’t know and hope for the best.

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I came across this blog article and thought I’d share it with you in connection to what I’ve written above: